Blanket flower

Sun

Full sun; flowering is weaker and stems may flop in shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells. Allow the soil to dry between waterings; avoid persistently wet roots.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil, preferably of low to moderate fertility. Avoid wet clay and sites that stay damp in winter.

Height

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), depending on cultivar

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Early summer to autumn, often until frost; red, orange, yellow or bicoloured flowers, commonly with contrasting petal tips.

Foliage

Rough, hairy, grey-green to green leaves, usually narrow to lance-shaped and sometimes lobed; forms a loose basal clump.

Growth

Fast; often flowers in its first year from seed.

Care needed

Low

• Plant in full sun with the crown at soil level and plenty of drainage.
• Water new plants deeply, then let the surface soil dry before watering again.
• Avoid routine feeding; rich soil and high-nitrogen fertiliser encourage floppy growth.
• Keep mulch away from the crown; use a thin gravel mulch where winter damp is a problem.
• Divide healthy clumps in spring every two or three years, or replace plants that lose vigour.

Pruning. Remove faded flower heads through summer to encourage more flowers. In early autumn, shorten spent flowering stems to just above the basal leaves rather than cutting into the crown.

Spring

Plant after severe frost has passed, choosing a sunny site with free-draining soil.

Spring

Divide vigorous established clumps as new growth starts; discard dead centres.

Late spring

Check new plants for aphids and water during dry weather while roots establish.

Summer

Deadhead regularly and water established plants only during prolonged drought.

Early autumn

Shorten spent flowering stems above the basal foliage to help plants build strength before winter.

Winter

Keep the crown free of soggy leaves and check that water is not pooling around it.

• Plant in groups near the front or middle of a sunny border for a long season of warm colour.
• Combine with ornamental grasses and coneflowers for a loose, prairie-inspired planting.
• Use in gravel gardens with yarrow and catmint, where lean soil helps keep growth compact.
• Grow compact cultivars in containers with generous drainage holes for sunny patios.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Pollinator garden, Dry gravel garden, Hot border, Desert / xeriscape and New perennial (prairie).

Plant it with: Yarrow, Catmint, Purple coneflower, Tickseed, Russian sage and Little bluestem.

Wildlife: Open flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other insects. Seed heads can provide food for seed-eating birds if some are left uncut.

• Crown and root rot: plants collapse in wet soil, especially over winter. Improve drainage, keep mulch off the crown and replace badly affected plants.
• Powdery mildew: white patches develop on leaves. Give plants more space and sun, water at soil level and remove badly affected foliage.
• Aphids: colonies gather on soft shoots and buds. Wash them off with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators.
• Short lifespan or floppy growth: rich soil, shade and prolonged damp shorten plant life. Move replacements to a sunnier, leaner, better-drained site and renew ageing clumps.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. The rough hairs and plant sap can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves if affected; it is not an edible plant.

• Lance-leaved tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata)

  Usually has clear yellow flowers with distinctly toothed petal tips and a yellow centre; blanket flower commonly has red or orange colouring and a raised reddish-brown centre.

• Annual blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella)

  Its flowers can look almost identical, and it is one of the hybrid's parents. It normally completes its life cycle in one season, while the hybrid forms a perennial crown; flowers alone are not a reliable distinction.

Gaillardia honours the French botanical patron Gaillard de Charentonneau, and grandiflora means large-flowered.

Propagation. Sow seed in spring or divide healthy clumps in spring. Seedlings from hybrids may differ from the parent; use division to preserve a named cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Gaillardia grandiflora

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.